DALLAS, Texas – Oregon Tech shortstop Kaila Mick received the highest honor for a collegiate student-athlete, as the graduate student was named College Sports Communicators NAIA Softball Academic All-American of the Year.
The award is selected as part of the prestigious Academic All-America team – as Mick and Owls outfielder Lexi Klum were selected as first-team picks – the second-straight season both players have earned the honor.
Mick, an OIT graduate in dental hygiene – who returned for her fifth season and took graduate classes in biology-health sciences – joins former cross country/track runner Danielle De Castro, as the only recipient of the Academic All-American of the Year honor.
A 3-time NAIA All-American, Mick was the 2024 Cascade Conference Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American, setting OIT school records with 25 doubles and 11 triples, setting CCC records for runs scored and hits in a career, while setting NAIA all-time records for games played and at bats.
Klum finished her OIT career with a perfect 4.00 GPA in psychology, earning first-team All-CCC honors in 2024, posting career-highs with a .360 batting average, nine home runs and 56 RBI.
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
C Amber Atkins University of the Cumberlands 4.00 Jr. Exercise & Sport Science & Coaching
DP Bryce Peacock College of Coastal Georgia 3.94 Sr. General Business
IF Kaila Mick (1) Oregon Tech 3.93/3.88 Gr. Dental Hygiene & Bio-Health Sciences
IF Carly Oliver (2) University of the Cumberlands 3.81 Sr. Nursing
IF Lauren Anderson Central Baptist College 3.82 Sr. Kinesiology & Exercise Science
IF Jyden Miles Arizona Christian University 4.00 Jr. Political Science
OF Emily Prai (1) Midland University 4.00 Sr. Accounting
OF Lexi Klum (2) Oregon Tech 4.00 Sr. Psychology
OF Shannon McAlinden (1) Concordia University Ann Arbor 3.81 Sr. Sport & Entertainment Business
P Annalise Jarvis Georgia Gwinnett College 3.89 Jr. Business Management
P Cassandra Valdez Our Lady of the Lake University 3.57/3.71 Gr. Literature & Creative Writing (G)
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
C Moriah Sprague Cornerstone University 3.87/3.87 Jr. Bio Pre-Vet
DP Miranda Hipolito Arizona Christian University 3.82 Sr. Psychology
IF Chapel Cunningham Southeastern University 3.72 Jr. Medical Sciences
IF Charlie Sartoris Trinity Christian College 3.90 Sr. Recreation & Sport Management
IF Abi West Central Baptist College 4.00 Jr. Middle Level Education
IF Lyric Krause Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College 3.51/3.60 Gr. Leadership Development
IF Kiera Mayer Mount Vernon Nazarene University 3.87 So. Nursing
OF Lauren Haskins Stillman College 3.86 Sr. Criminal Justice
OF Kayla Dreese (4) Our Lady of the Lake University 3.69/3.80 Gr. Management
OF Chelsea Kurtz Avila University 3.78 Sr. Radiologic Science
P Aliyah Rincon (2) Midland University 3.87 Sr. Nursing
P Emmalee Hamp Spring Arbor University 3.94 Sr. Graphic Design
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year:
Kaila Mick, Oregon Tech
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2023
(2) -- 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2023
(4) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022